Word Origin & History

Old English smoð "smooth, serene, calm," variant of smeðe "free from roughness, not harsh, polished; soft; suave; agreeable," of unknown origin and with no known cognates. Of words, looks, "pleasant, polite, sincere" late 14c., but later "flattering, insinuating" (mid-15c.). Slang meaning "superior, classy, clever" is attested from 1893. Sense of "stylish" is from 1922.

Smooth-bore in reference to guns is from 1812. smooth talk (v.) is recorded from 1950. A 1599 dictionary has smoothboots "a flatterer, a faire spoken man, a cunning tongued fellow." The usual Old English form was smeðe, and there is a dialectal smeeth found in places names, e.g. Smithfield, Smedley.

Example Sentences for smoothest

Our course had been rather devious also, in order to obtain the smoothest path.

The smoothest stretch of ice was right down the center of the Parade.

He bent upon her, for all the weight of his question, his smoothest stare.

Show us your worst and we can face it, but it is when you are sweetest and smoothest that we have most to fear from you.

The reverse was the case, as she was one of the smoothest, suavest persons you ever met.